Coming into 2025, Bo Bichette had spent seven seasons with the Blue Jays (one of them was a Covid-shortened season). All of them were good, until 2024. He had received MVP votes in 2021, 22 and 23. He led the league in hits.
Then came 2024. He went from a 4.8 bWAR in 2023 to a -0.3 bWAR in 2024. It seemed strange there would be such a drop off at age 26. It was a bad time to have a season like that, when the next year would be his free agent year.
We wondered how his 2025 season would go. Did he get
old early? We didn’t need to worry:
| Age | WAR | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | GIDP | HBP | SF | IBB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 3.5 | 139 | 628 | 582 | 78 | 181 | 44 | 1 | 18 | 94 | 4 | 3 | 40 | 91 | .311 | .357 | .483 | .840 | 129 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Bo had a 3.5 bWAR and a 3.8 fWAR, giving him a value of $30.6 million to the Jays.
He had a .361 wOBA and a 134 wRC+.
Bo’s walk rate was 6.4% (up from 6.0 last year), and his strikeout rate was 14.5% (down from 19.0 last year).
His line-drive rate was the same as last year’s at 22.1%, ground ball rate was 47.0% (slightly down from last year’s 46.8) and fly-ball rate 31.0% (slightly up from 30.1 last year). His fly balls were leaving the park 11.8% of the time (up from 5.3).
Bichette’s soft contact was way down (12.3% from 18.1), and hard contact was up (37.9% from 30.5).
His BABIP was way up (.342 from .269).
Bo was slightly better vs. LHP (.308/.345/.546) than RHP (.312/.360/.465).
He, like much of the team, was better at home (.322/.364/.527) than on the road (.301/.350/.443).
With RISP, he hit .381/.427/.626, which is pretty amazing. He’s always been better with RISP, which makes him a good choice for the cleanup spot.
After two strikes, he hit .253/.299/.331 which is quite good, much better than his career numbers.
He was much better in the second half (.370/.423/.566) than the first half (282/.324/.443).
Bo by month:
- April: .295/.328/.364 with 0 home runs, 5 walks and 19 strikeouts in 30 games.
- May: .261/.325/.513 with 7 home runs, 11 walks and 23 strikeouts in 28 games.
- June: .259/.276/.411 with 4 home runs, 3 walks and 19 strikeouts in 25 games.
- July: .357/.400/.541 with 2 home runs, 6 walks and 14 strikeouts in 24 games.
- August: .367/.425/.523 with 3 home runs, 11 walks and 13 strikeouts in 27 games.
- September: .474/.542/1.000 with 2 home runs, 4 walks and 3 strikeouts in 5 games.
Defensively he had 12 errors (6 throwing, 6 fielding) in 132 games at short, for a .972 FA (league average .975).
FanGraphs has him at a 1.8 UZR/150 and a +1 in Outs Above Average, both better than he has been in the past.
Outs Above Average had him at a -13, which would put him at the bottom of MLB shortstops.
As a baserunner FanGraphs has him at a -3.2 runs compared to the average baserunner. I would say sliding into home, knees first, is a good example of why he isn’t a good baserunner. He stole 4 bases, caught three times. We would be better off with him not trying to steal.
Where Bo hit in the batting order:
- 1st: 82 games, hitting 270/.310/.417.
- 2nd: 9 games, hitting 324/.390/.541
- 3rd: 6 games, hitting .458/.519/.583.
- 4th: 40 games, hitting .372/.422/.585.
The Jays were 77-60 in games he started.
His longest hitting streak was 14 games, on base streak 21 games. Most games without a home run is 32 games.
His longest hitless streak was 4 games.
Favourite team to face? He hit .500/.556/.750 with one home run in 6 games against the White Sox.
Least favourite? He hit .172/.200/.310 in 6 games against the Guardians.
Times facing a starter:
- 1st: .292/.328/.438.
- 2nd: 328/.381-.549.
- 3rd:317/.368/.433.
- He had 8 PA against a pitcher his fourth time through, he had 3 singles and 2 strikeouts.
Swinging at the first pitch of an at bat he hit .321/.321/.643 with 7 home runs.
In the World Series:
| Team | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | TB | GIDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOR | 7 | 27 | 23 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | .348 | .444 | .478 | .923 | 11 | 1 |
I’m glad he had such a good season going into free agency.
Ben Clement thinks he’ll be getting a seven-year contract, at $29 million a year, which would take him to age 35. I wonder what position he’ll be playing by then. Seven years is more than I’d want to sign him to, but I’m sure that’s what it would take. I’ve log thought the he wasn’t likely to age well, because he doesn’t control the strike zone. But maybe he’ll control it better as he ages. His strikeout rate dropped a fair bit this season.
He says he’d like to stay with the Jays and the team says they would like to have him back, so, you know, get it done. I think if he could play second full time, he would be an excellent player to have.
By 35, he and Vlad will need more time at DH.
I wonder if Bo will want to go to a team that would let him play short? I think he could be a better defensive player at second base, and it would be easier on his legs (though his injury this year was from the slide into the plate, not due to the strain of playing short).
I’m glad he got to play in the World Series, and that home run was one of the best moments of the year.
It is funny; when I play OOTP Baseball, I trade away players before they reach free agency. I don’t want guys getting older on the team. When I’m watching baseball, I want to see the players grow old. I’m not tired of watching Bo. I’d like to see him play with the Jays until the end of his career. I’d like to see him and Vlad win a World Series together.
Anyway, Bo, if that’s the end of your time with the Blue Jays, I’ve really enjoyed watching you. But, if it is all good with you, sign with the Jays again.
